‘Game is gone’: McCoist slams ref call in Liverpool defeat

Will Ford
Ally McCoist
Ally McCoist

Ally McCoist is “not having” the referee’s decision to send Alexis Sanchez off in Liverpool’s defeat to Inter Milan on Tuesday.

Jurgen Klopp’s side progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals despite going down 1-0 to the Serie A side at Anfield.


READ MORE: Yes, there is something special about Anfield European nights


Sanchez was shown a second yellow card moments after Lautaro Martinez scored to leave Inter with little chance of completing a comeback.

And McCoist claims the referee made a poor decision and insists the “game is gone” if players are sent off for “winning the ball clearly”.

McCoist told talkSPORT: “Poor. No, I’m not having it. I’m absolutely not having it. He wins the ball clearly. He follows through and, if anything, the players meet.

“The game is gone. It has. It’s gone. It’s never a second yellow. Never.

“I just think there is no common sense. The way he goes into the tackle, there is no threat. There is no danger. It’s just a natural follow through, for me. I just think some common sense should be shown. I really do.

“He’s won the ball. Are you telling me that he shouldn’t go to win that ball? Look how low his leg is. He’s bringing his leg away. In slow motion it makes it look worse.

“First and foremost he’s stupid for the giving the referee and opportunity to make the decision. No one can debate that but I still think it’s harsh to give a yellow card.

“It’s a foul, yes, in today’s game but I don’t believe it’s a yellow card.”

Thierry Henry echoes McCoist’s sentiments.

“I want to talk about the second yellow of Sanchez,” Henry told CBS Sports.

“If you have played football, you know that’s never a yellow.

“The first one (on Thiago), with the new rules that we have seen, is late. Way late. Foot on the knee. I could have maybe understood if it could have been an orange-red.

“But that second yellow, if you have played football. What is he supposed to do? Obviously, your foot is going to go up because you are kicking the ball away.

“We have seen the play here. Full speed. You don’t have time to take your leg away by kicking the ball, it’s impossible.”